Tropic Like It's Hot

What’s Wrong With Your Dog

DIY Dog Spa: How to Groom Without Losing Your Mind (or a Finger)

You didn’t think you’d be the kind of adult who searches “best clippers for fluffy mutts” at 11:47 p.m. on a Thursday. Yet here we are. Welcome to the club - where your bathroom turns into a doggy day spa, your yoga mat becomes a non-slip grooming station, and your playlist somehow includes both Enya and “Who Let the Dogs Out.” Outsourcing everything is so 2015. These days, we optimize. And that means embracing the chaos and cost-savings of at-home dog grooming.

Step 1: Accept the Reality of Fur Confetti

No matter how sleek your pup looks on Insta, grooming them at home is going to produce a metric fluff-ton of loose hair. It gets in your water bottle, your Wi-Fi router, your soul. Ewww. Get a good vacuum. No, better than that.

Step 2: Tools Matter More Than Talent

You don't need to be a professional groomer to do a decent job. But you do need a decent clipper. 

Step 3: Normalize Treat Bribery

You’re not above it. Neither is your dog. Keep the peanut butter flowing and pretend you’re running a Michelin-starred spa. Positive reinforcement is your secret weapon, especially when your dog realizes grooming is bathing in suds - to them, a federal offense.

Step 4: Lower the Stakes

Home grooming doesn’t have to be perfect. You’re not entering them into Westminster; you’re just trying to get the stink out and keep their butt fluff under control. Set the vibe, take breaks, and keep your expectations chill. You’ll get faster, your dog will get braver, and eventually, this weird bonding ritual will become second nature. Like laundry. But more grateful.

To help, here’s a curated list of some of the top-rated at-home dog grooming tools that have been highly recommended by pet owners and professionals alike:

1. Wahl Professional Animal ARCO Cordless Pet Clipper Kit
   This lightweight, cordless clipper features a five-in-one adjustable blade, making it versatile for various grooming needs. It comes with four guide combs and is suitable for all breeds. 

2. Oneisall Dog Rechargeable Cordless Clippers
   An affordable, quiet, and easy-to-use clipper set that includes six guide combs, scissors, a cleaning brush, and blade oil. Ideal for touch-ups between professional grooming sessions. 

3. Andis 24675 UltraEdge 2-Speed Detachable Blade Clipper
   A powerful corded clipper with two speeds, suitable for thick coats. Its detachable blade design allows for easy cleaning and versatility. 

4. Chris Christensen Slicker Brush
   Highly regarded among professional groomers, this brush effectively removes tangles and mats, especially in long-haired breeds. 

5. Andis Cord/Cordless Nail Grinder
   A versatile nail grinder that can be used with or without a cord. It offers multiple speed settings and is designed to be gentle yet effective. 

6. Wahl Stainless Steel Attachment Guide Combs
   These durable combs attach to A5 blades and come in various lengths, allowing for customized grooming. They're especially useful for beginners to prevent accidental cuts. 

7. Neakasa P0 Lite Pet Grooming System
   A quiet grooming vacuum system that comes with multiple attachments to brush and remove fur, making the grooming process cleaner and more efficient. 

These tools can help make at-home grooming more manageable and effective. Good luck - maybe start with belly rubs.

Proud Parent

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Daily Superfood Support for Aging, Medium-to-Large Dogs

POP-Topper is a premium daily supplement for medium-to-large dogs, developed by animal scientists in New Zealand. Clean superfoods like green-lipped mussels, bilberry, and bone broth support joint, immune, and brain health—without fillers or additives.

Try POP-Topper—$49/Month (30 servings)

Alert, protect, and music vibes

Ding: Time to act
Big Dog Energy: Epitome of small but mighty
Cue the orchestra: Afternoon medley

We Can’t Stop Laughing (or Coloring)

We stumbled across these unhinged, unfiltered, definitely NSFW coloring pages—and now we can’t look away. They’re from a brand so gloriously inappropriate we can’t even print their name. Their website literally warns: “This is not a place for the weak.” If laughter is therapeutic, can we deduct this?

Culture

Mai Tais & Wi-Fi

Life sure is crazy lately. It seems to be a series of emotional rollercoasters between “I need a vacation” and “I can’t afford a vacation.” But fear not, sun-craving overachiever. You don’t need a passport or a layover in Houston to feel like you’ve landed somewhere with turquoise water and zero responsibility. You need one thing: a tropical staycation. It’s like vacationing, but without the financial regret and airport foot cramps.

Here’s how to create your own tropical escape without changing out of your elastic waistband shorts (yeah, I see you):

1. Declare Your Territory (and Lock the Door)

Tell your family or ghost roommate you’re unavailable. Tape a “Gone to the Bahamas, don’t text” sign to your door. Even if you’re 6 feet from your kitchen, you are on location. Any interruptions will be treated as international incidents.

2. Make Your Home Look Like a Tiki Bar Mated With a Pinterest Board

Put a palm leaf on the wall. Dig up that weird seashell wind chime Aunt Linda gave you in 2013. Drape string lights like you’re preparing for a backyard wedding that ends in regret. Light a candle that smells like a piña colada and poor choices. If it doesn’t smell like sunscreen and sugary fruit, you’re doing it wrong.

3. Dress Like a Cruise Ship Threw Up on You

Linen. Florals. Flip-flops that never see actual sand. Bonus points for a floppy hat that blocks out both UV rays and eye contact. Sunglasses indoors? Absolutely. You’re shielding yourself from the blinding light of responsibility.

4. Blend Something Boozy or Bougie (Preferably Both)

Step 1: Add frozen fruit to a blender.
Step 2: Add something liquid.
Step 3: Add rum. Or coconut water if you’re pretending to be healthy.
Step 4: Garnish with whatever’s in your fridge that isn’t moldy.
Step 5: Pretend you paid $14 for it and sip with judgmental flair.

5. Create an Itinerary of Deeply Unproductive Activities

– Watch Moana and emotionally attach to the ocean
– Build a towel fort with "oceanfront views"
– Journal about nothing while sipping a drink with a mini umbrella
– Meditate, fall asleep, call it “spiritual growth”

6. Go Off Grid 

Turn off your phone. If anyone really needs you, they’ll figure out how to send a message in a bottle. This is your tropical headspace now. You’re unreachable unless it’s an emergency. And by emergency, we mean someone accidentally ordered decaf.

7. Activity Time, but Make It Island Mode

Paint a sunset with dollar store watercolors. Read a beachy romance novel. Try yoga under a ceiling fan. Host a limbo competition with your dog. Or do nothing at all—just lay down with a face mask and pretend you’ve been “overwhelmed by tranquility.”

A tropical staycation isn’t pretending to travel. It’s upgrading your life with the full fantasy of a getaway but minus the sunburn and bank statement shame. So pour another questionable daiquiri, queue up a fake ocean sounds track, and remind yourself: paradise isn’t a place. It’s a mindset. Peace, love, and aloha.

We hate inflation

Prices are forecasted to rise through 2025 and so now is a good time to lock in that pup training class that you have been considering. We are big fans of Doggie Dan’s style of positive-reinforcement rather than punishment. The best part is that his initial sessions are free.

Chuckle  

The fib is A. Ear hair plucking is controversial—and often unnecessary.  Some groomers still remove hair from inside the ear canal, but vets now say it can actually cause more inflammation and make infections worse unless there’s a medical reason.

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